The effects of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and moth (Periploca ceanothiella) herbivory on the vegetative and reproductive growth of New Jersey tea (Ceanothus herbaceous) was measured in burned and unburned tallgrass pastures. The growth form of New Jersey tea plants differed between burned and unburned pastures; burned plants produced longer stems while unburned plants produced more branched stems. Galling and browsing enhanced production of stems and inflorescence from New Jersey tea plants, however, deer browsing pressure was equal between burning treatments while stem galling moths were most active on unburned plants, most likely because fire enhanced mortality of this species. These results suggest that New Jersey tea plants can tolerate fire and herbivory from stem galling moths and white-tailed deer through tolerance mechanisms that enhance vegetative and reproductive growth in response to these disturbances.
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